Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha, #1
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: June 5, 2012

Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Review: I had heard great things about this book, but I still remained a bit skeptical. Now I wonder if I suffered from a moment of insanity for not reading this amazing masterpiece as soon as it came out. On the beautiful cover there is a quote from a favorite author of mine, Veronica Roth, and she said that this book was "unlike anything I've ever read" and she was exactly right. Shadow and Bone is a unique treasure of a story. I can't even begin to try and explain it to you, I can only encourage you to read it because it's a move that you won't regret. It was an un-put-down-able read and I devoured all 356 pages in a single day. The characters that Leigh Bardugo created were unique and compelling, the world-building splendid, and the plot absolutely enthralling. I look forward to my next trip to the bookstore so I can buy my own copy of the book to display on the shelves so I can rediscover the magic of it again and again. I also look forward to June 4, 2013; the release date for the sequel! :))

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Author Response:













-Kristen ♥

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